David conlabt



D. CONLAN, n. DRY CELL,

APPLICATON FILED 'NOV= iii, i915.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

. T all whom it 'may concern:

illustrates the invention embodied-in a pracu UNITED STATES;l PATENT omonnAvID CONLAN, an., or BROOKLYnNEW ironic` /nnv entr..

Be it known that I, D'A'Vvio CONLAN, Ir., a citizen Aof `the AUnitedStates of America; residing atBrooklyn, New York, have inthe following is' a specilication.

ventedanew and useful Dry Cell, of `whichl The priinary'object of lthis invention is to eliminate the, need` for separate connectors which h ave'lieretofore been required in connecting up dry cells in sets or batteries.

Another object is to construct audigy cell which may he, usedvsingly and he connected;

with the two-circuit wires in the usualway and which can when so desired be as readily connected with the Aadjacent'V cell of a hat# tei-y. A t

In the accomplishment 'of these objectsI employ aheonnector which is rigidly secured' at one end to one element of the cell, as for instance, the zinc container of theusualdry cell, which when not in use is out of the Way so as not to interfere with the usual handling of the cell land which can loe used to providea good electrical connection hetween the cell and an adjoining cell orY other element. Preferably' this connector is in the form of i relatively flat flexible strip which when not in use will lie close tothe con-1 .Various lother features and details kot structure will appear as the specification proceeds and will become clea-rriirom consideration of the accompanying drawing which tical and preferred` form.

In the drawing Figurellis a perspec- 'Y tive view of a drycell embodying the'invention shown coupled to an adjoining cell by means of Vthe connection carried thereby.

Fig. 2 is av view of they cell minus the casing' illustrating au method of securing a con? necting stripv by means of one of the' binding'terminals. Fig. 3, is a sectional vievi7 of the complete cell showing the connecting strip in the position it Yoccupies when notV in use, between the container and the leasing. Fig, 4, is a view-showing the protective insulating casing partly Withdrawn to Speci'cationiof Lettersatent. n

- other suitable material,1

view showing the connecting Astrip With- Y Patented Aug. 85.1916. Application ined November is, isis. sensi No. 61,753,

draivnfready fernse and the casing slipped hack in'toits protecting positiomthe casing andthe container appearing here in section. The drycelliliustrated consists 'of a ine-` tiijllic receiver Toi zinc or the' like containing active material 8 in a more or less Wet or plastic state and a rod 9 of 'carbon or constituting 4the other pole oi the cell. l 7

'-Tlie carbon element isv slioivn provided i with a suitable binding post terminal ,l0 and ,theJzinc container element with a suitable binding-post terminal 11.- Tlie zinctermfi-V Anal may he in the form of a screii7 post 12,'

slotted at its loiver endas indicated at 1Std pass down overtlie edge vof thev container.

l5 indicates the connector carried hy the Acell and secured rigidly7 at one end lto one ofy lthe cell elements, in' this particular instance to the zinc container, bylieing engaged he#` neat-h the slotted terminal post as the saine is engaged over the upper edge of the container as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. After the end of vthe connector has thus been se-` marient by the use ofsolder substantiallyhas isindicatedat 16. l

. The 'connector l5 lis made of relatively flexible material having good velectrical .con-

ductivity and I prefer rto employ at the vpresent time for-this purpose a relatively ,narrow strip of' close mesh copper or brass Wire gauze. This material is inexpensive, ornisa .gloed conductor7 is extremely flexible `and can he iexed av great number of -times Without breaking and in addition to all this is lat so that it Will lie close Aagainst .the metallic container and lit in between the container and tlielinsulating casing 17 which j usually surrounds and incloses the cell.

The connecting strip is provided at its free end with means adapting it to he con' curedvin pla'cle,v Vthe joint may heniade perf This terminal engaging end of the connecting strip is alsoin this case ieinforced by bending the end of the strip 'back 'nponfitself as indicatedvat 19,'said. re-t versely-bent portion 1'9 liavingan opening 2O therein corresponding to the opening 1S.

f In addition toV thel reinforcing eilect thus obtained this` revcrsely bent portion' provides a spring terminal which is compressed beneath the binding screw or other clamping device insuring a good electrical contact and also serving in a Way as a nut lock to prevent unserewing oi* yloosening of the binding device.

The intermediate portion'of the connect! ing strip may be insulated as indicated at 2l in Fig. l as by coating or impregnating the gauze strip with an insulating compound of suitable character or by engaging a wrapei or covering Vof a er or otherinsulatin medium over the intermediate portion ofv the strip as indicated at 22 in Fig. 5. iThis insulation of the intermediate portion ofthe strip*v prevents short eircuiting in case 'the strip should be forced down into engagement With the rim of the cell.

ln the form of the invention illustrated the cell is shipped with the connecting strip in place between the'metallic casing and the insulating housing as indicated in Fig. 3,

- the strip inthis way being concealed and YWeight to the cell. striicted 1s to be connected in a battery the .easing is partly or wholly withdrawn so as protected and adding no bulk or appreciable When the'cell thus conto expose the vstrip or a portion of the strip as indicated in Fig-fl, the strip is drawn outward'and the Icasing is then replaced as indicated in Fig. 5 with the connecting strip on'the outside. if at any time'the connecting 'strip is not needed it may be replaced inside the protective casing. il/lith the wire gauze form of connector strip, the flexibility is such asA to permit the strip being bent back and forth andrreplaced and Withdrawn any number of times without breaking or injuring the strip.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that iny invention provides a practical and simple inexpensive form of connector, 'constituting an integral part of the cell which cannot be mislaid or displaced and which is ready for instant use at any time.

What I claim is :e

l. In a dry cell, the combination Ywith a metallic container constituting one element of the cell and an insulating casing incwlosing said container and readily removable therefrom, of a relatively. latflexible metallic strip secured vto said container, normally lying flat against the container between the container and the insulating casing sur rounding it and adapted to be exposed by removal of the casing and be thereupon Withdrawn to form a connector for engagement with another cell and a binding post connected to the metallic container and securing the connecting strip thereto.

2. In combination, a dry cell including avmetallic container constituting one element of the cell, active material in said container,

a lsecond element in' said active material and binding posts carried by the respective elements and a relatively flexible connecting strip permanently secured at one end to one of said cell elements and provided at its opposite free end with means adapting it to be engagedwith the binding deviceof an adjoining cell or other member.

3. In combination, a dry cell including a metallic container constituting one element of the cell, active material in said container,

Y a second element in said active material and4 Abinding posts carried. by the respective ele- Davin coNL-anua 

